US2024670A

US2024670A - Therapeutic exercising appliance

Info

Publication number: US2024670A
Application number: US722565A
Authority: US
Inventors: Christian A Volf
Original assignee: EJNAR TORNOE
Current assignee: EJNAR TORNOE
Priority date: 1934-04-26
Filing date: 1934-04-26
Publication date: 1935-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1952-12-17

Description

Dec 17, 1935. c. A. VOLF 2,024,670

I THERAPEUTIC EXERCISING APPLIANCE 7 Filed April 26, 1954. 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 'ENVENTIOR Chrzstzan A. Volfi ATTORNEY5.

Dec. 17, 1935. c. A. VOLF 2,024,670

THERAPEUTIC EXERCISING APPLIANCE Filed April 26, 1934. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I y INVENTOR i0 J5 0p m'hm'sbz'amAVa ATTORNEY/5.

Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STAT PATENT OFFICE THERAPEUTIC EXERCISING APPLIANCE Christian A. Volf, New York, N. Y., assignor to Nanna Lander and Ejnar Tornoe, both of New York, N. Y.

This invention is a therapeutic exercising appliance, primarily for use in applying gentle movements to various parts of the body, particularly to a. fractured limb. The medical profes- 5 sion appreciates that the immobility given to a fractured limb by the use of splints or plaster casts is in some instances distinctly harmful to the patient because the normal circulation, due to lack of movement of the muscles and joints and 10 due to the pressure of the bandages, is very much hindered, so that when the cast or splints are taken off, the limb is stiff and the patient is usually unable to move it at all, and weeks of massage and gentle exercise are required to restore 15 the normal circulation and normal tone to the muscles.

According to this invention, movements of graduated and controlled type may be applied to a fractured limb so that the circulation through 530 the muscles and joints is maintained to a much better degree than with an immobilized limb.

When the patient is discharged, he is usually able to walk without the aid of crutches.

The invention is capable of use generally in applying movements to various parts of the body, for improving the circulation and for improving and maintaining the tone of the muscles, under any conditions where such movements would be helpful, such for example as with fractures of w) the arm or leg, infantile paralysis, rheumatic conditions, arthritis, etc.

The primary purpose of the invention is to provide an apparatus for kinetic therapeutics which 7' is operated by the patient himself and where the motion of the patients hand, for example, which is applying the power, moves in harmony with the motion of the fractured limb. More partic ularly, and according to this invention, where the hand operated by the patient moves in a certain path, the injured limb is moved in such a way that it is more or less an instinctive, normal and harmonious movement on the part of the patient.

Another important feature of the invention is an apparatus so designed that it can be readily and detachably secured to a standard hospital bed, and can be readily and quickly partially disassembled, so as to be put out of the way when not in use and to be put out of the way while the v bed clothes are being changed, or the patient is being bathed, for example. After the patient has been treated as may be required with the apparatus out of the way, it may be quickly and readily put back in normal and operative position. The apparatus may also be completely and readily removed from the bed upon the recovery of the patient.

Another important feature of the invention is an operating shaft which extends across the bed from one side to the other which shaft is rotated 5 by the patient. On this shaft is positioned one or more pulleys, depending on the number of injured limbs which are undergoing treatment.

The main features of the invention having been thus outlined, further advantages of structure and operation will be apparent from the following description of the present preferred embodiment of the apparatus.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the exercising appliance, in place on a hospital bed;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the frame swung into an inoperative position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an end View of one of the clamps for engaging with the bed rail; Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 11 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 8-43 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to these figures, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, the improved exercising appliance comprises a generally rectangular frame consisting of an upper horizontal rail 2, a lower horizontal rail 4 and end bars 5. This frame is firmly and detachably secured to the side rail 8 of a standard hospital bed by a clamp comprising a body member it provided with a hole ll therethrough for slidable engagement on the lower rail 4. Clamp I0 is provided with a spring pressed positioning stud 53 adapted to snap into depressions 13 on the underside of rail 4, as shown in Fig. 3. The clamp is has an arm 52 which takes over the top of the bed rail 8 and an anchoring clamp l4 pivotally engaged at It with the main clamp. The anchor member M- is internally threaded and carries a threaded shaft is terminating in a bearing face 25] which through the medium of the thumb nut 22 firmly anchors the clamp and lower rail to the bed rail, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and e.

A pair of collars 24 are slidable on the rail 4, these collars passing around the rail 4 and gripping it frictionally through the medium of thumb screws .25. Pivoted to the collars 24 is a pair of converging legs 26 which meetin suitable bearings 28 carried on a transversely extending shaft 30, the other end of which is provided with similar bearings 31, with which engages a pair of converging legs 25' on the other side of the bed, having a function analogous to the legs 26. A retaining collar 33 and cooperating set screw 33' hold the bearings 3! in place on shaft 3 The legs 25 preferably pass through guides 32 and slidably engage therewith. Guides 32 are pivotally connected by pins 34 to guides 35, respectively, which slide on the upper rail 2. By virtue of this arrangement, the angularity of legs 26 may be adjusted by sliding collars 24 along the rail 4, the legs 2%: moving in the guide members 32 and 35, .18 guides moving with respect to each other about pins 34 to allow for this adjustment. The lower ends of the other legs 26' on the side of the bed engage with slidable collars 24' which slide on a horizontal rail or bar 40 which is detachably clamped to the bed rail on the other side of the bed by clamps I which have the same structure and operation as the clamps II].

The supporting means for the limb of the patient will now be described. A frame consisting of vertical standards 42, is provided, the upper ends of which standards encircle the rail 2 and the lower ends of which are provided with pins 44 engageable in holes 46 in lower rail 4, the frame being completed by a cross piece 48. Extending from the standards 42 is a pair of horizontally extending arms 53, arranged to extend about as far as the middle of the bed, or, if desired, all the way across the bed. Supported on these arms 55 is a pair of channeled members 52, forming a channeled guldeway for rollers 54, these rollers being faced with rubber 56. Diagonal braces attached to frame 42 and the guideway 52, further support the guideway. Rollers 54 support a shaft 58, and this shaft, through the medium of bearings 6!), supports a tube 52 which in turn carries collars 64, the collars being secured to tube 52 and being provided with extensions 66 for supporting a foot rest or the like 68. The collars 64 also support a stirrup to the cross piece 12 of which is attached an actuating rope "M, which rope wraps around a pulley 16, which pulley is slidable on the shaft 30 and may be secured any desired position on this shaft by the thumb screw 18. The stirrup H3 is adapted to be bound into contact with the patients leg by the bandages or wrappings 89, the patients foot resting against the foot piece 58 and the foot piece and the stirrup being rockable with the tube 52 about the axis 58, and slidable bacl; and forth along the channeled guideway 52. A snap hook 73 may be used to attach rope 14 to the stirrup bar 12.

It should be noted that the support for the patients foot is held by the frame 42, and does not rely on the mattress for support.

The mechanism whereby the patient may operate the foot rest back and forth will now be described. A collar 82 is slidable on the upper rail 2 and the extent of its movement in either direction is determined by stop collars 84 which may be positioned at various points along the rail 2 by the thumb screws 85. is provided with a handle 82 which may be grasped by the patient. To this collar 82 is attached as at 88 a rope or cable 90 which passes around a pulley 92 on the 2 and then wraps around a pulley fi l fixed on one end of the actuating shaft 39, the rope continuing over the pulley The collar 82 94 and having attached to its lower end an adjustable counter-balance weight 96. Pulley 94 is detachably. secured to shaft 30 by a set screw 95. As the patient moves the collar 82 back and forth, the rope 90 rotates pulley 94 and shaft 35 which in turn actuates rope 14 to pull on the stirrup l2 and pull up and let down the patients leg. The ropes are preferably engaged with their pulleys in such a way that when the patient pulls the handle 82' towards him, the leg is straightened out, while when the handle is moved in the opposite direction the knee is pulled up and the leg flexed at the knee. The extent of this movemei: is controlled by the setting of the collars 34 and as the patients condition improves the amount of movement and the resulting flexing of the limb can be increased. The use of the counter-balance 96 lessens the effort required on the part of the patient.

When it is desired to get the apparatus out of the way for any purpose, the patients leg is disengaged from the apparatus in any convenient way, as by moving him lengthwise of the bed so that the rollers 5-4 come out of the guideway, the thumb screws 94 and 33' loosened up, the shaft 35 moved toward the left with respect to t.-; patient as shown in Fig. 2, sufficient to disengage .the right hand end of the shaft 36 from hearing 3! and then the apparatus swung nearly 130 as indicated in Fig. 4, so that it swings toward the floor and is entirely out of the patients way. The apparatus may be removed completely from he bed by release of the clamps and iii. The patients foot could also be released from the foot rest 68 by making the connection between stirrup l6 and collars 64 a detachable connection.

As illustrated in the drawings, the patients eft leg is undergoing treatment and the apparatus is set up on the left hand side of the bed. If the right leg of the patient should require treatment the entire apparatus is set up on the opposite side of the bed, that is, opposite from the set up shown in Fig. 1. If both legs of the patient require treatment the foot rest 68 and associated parts shown in Fig. 1 may be duplicated. Similarly if the arms of the patient require treatment the apparatus may with slight modifications be used for that purpose also.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in some detail, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise details shown and described, but mo -"iiications may be made of the particular construction illustrated without departing from the invention.

I claim as my invention: "c e :rcisi;

ed, applie slideway for appliance for use type of bed, said applination, means for sup- .it for move-- :oss the bed, connected to with a hospital or ance comprising,

rhent. a pen r above the b by the p actuating the power shaft.

3. A therapeutic exercising appliance for use 75 with a hospital or similar type of bed, said appliance comprising, in combination, means for supporting an injured limb of a patient for movement, a power shaft extending across the bed, above the patient, and operatively connected to ie limb supporting means, and means, operable by the patient, for applyin manual power for actuating the power shaft, said limb supporting means and power shaft actuating means, being movable in paths which are lengthwise of the bed.

4. A therapeutic exercising appliance for use with a hospital or similar type of bed, said appliance comprising, in combination, a frame for attachment to the bed of a patient, lengthwise of the bed and at one side thereof, a power shaft supported by said frame, and extending across the bed, over the patient, movable supporting means for the injured limb of the patient, and operatively connected with the power shaft, and means operable by the patient, for actuating the power shaft.

5. A therapeutic exercising appliance for use with a hospital or similar type of bed, said appliance comprising in combination, a frame for attachment to the bed of a patient, lengthwise of the bed and at one side thereof a power shaft supported by said frame, movable supporting means for the injured limb of the patient, carried by said frame and extending over the bed and operatively connected with the power shaft, and means operable by the patient, for actuating the power shaft.

6. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, a frame for attachment to the bed of a patient, a power shaft supported by said frame, movable supporting means for the injured limb of the patient, comprising a slideway supported by said frame and extending over the be and operatively connected with the power shaft, and means operable by the patient, for actuating the power shaft.

7. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, a frame for attachment to the bed of a patient, lengthwise of the bed and at one side thereof a power shaft supported by said frame, and extending across the bed, over the patient, movable supporting means for the injured limb of the patient, carried by said frame and extending over the bed and operatively connected with the power shaft, and means operable by the patient, for actuating the power shaft.

8. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, a frame for attachment to the bed of a patient, a power shaft supported by said frame, and extending across the bed, over the patient, movable supporting means for the injured limb of the patient, comprising a slideway supported by said frame and. extending over the bed and operatively connected with the power shaft, and means operable by the patient, for actuating the power shaft.

9. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, a frame substantially the length of a patients bed, means for detachably securing said frame to one of the side rails of the bed, means, carried by said frame, for movably supporting an injured limb of the patient, a power shaft, supported by said frame and extending across the bed above the patient, means operatively connecting the limb supporting means and the power shaft, and means, operated by the patient, for actuating said power shaft.

10. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, a frame substantially the length of a patients bed, means for detachably securing said frame to one of the side rails of the bed, means, carried by said frame, for movably supporting an injured limb of the patient, a power shaft, supported by said frame and extending across the bed above the patient, means operatively connecting the limb supporting means and the power shaft, and means, carried by said frame and operated by the patient, for actuating said power shaft.

11. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, a frame substantially the length of a patients bed, means for detachably securing said frame to one of the side rails of the bed, means, carried by said frame, for movably supporting an injured limb of the patient, a power shaft, means, carried by said frame and extending upwardly well above the frame, for supporting said power shaft, means operatively connecting the limb supporting means and the power shaft, and means, operated by the patient, for actuating said power shaft.

12. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, a frame substantially the length of a patients bed, means for securing said frame to a side rail of the bed, said means allowing said frame to be swung away from the bed, toward the floor, without disengagement from the side rail of the bed, means, carried by said frame, for movably supporting an injured limb of the patient, and means, operated by the patient, for operating said limb supporting means.

13. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, a frame for attachment to a side rail of a patients bed, a power shaft, supported by said frame, and extending across the bed, above the patient, means for movably supporting an injured limb of the patient, and operatively connected with said power shaft, means, operated by the patient, for actuating the power shaft, and means for detachably securing said frame to a side rail of the bed, and engageable pivotally with the frame for allowing the appliance to be swung away from the bed, toward the floor, for putting it temporarily out of the way.

14. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, a four sided frame, comprising upper and lower rails which extend substantially horizontally, means for detachably securing the lower rail to a side rail of a patients bed, means, carried by the frame and extending inwardly over the bed, for movably supporting an injured limb of the patient, a power shaft extending across the bed, above the patient, supported by said frame and operatively connected with said limb supporting means, and means for operating said power shaft.

15. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, a four sided frame, comprising upper and lower rails which extend substantially horizontally, means for detachably securing the lower rail to a side rail of a patients bed, means, carried by the frame and extending inwardly over the bed, for movably supporting an injured limb of the patient, a power shaft extending across the bed, above the patient, diagonally extending, upwardly converging legs, carried by the frame, for supporting the power shaft, and means, operated by the patient, for actuating said power shaft.

CHRISTIAN A. VOLF.